Artist Statement True creativity comes from a search for truth, information and answers to questions we ask ourselves. It is a process that takes years to formulate. In a search for answers there is spontaneity and often what is achieved is not what was expected. For me, art has allowed a specific perspective through which to understand the world. I began primarily as a painter, but then I asked, why? What is it that paintings do? What is it that I want my work to do? As I began to think about these questions I became aware that what is important to me is not the painting, or even the image that I paint, but the relationships that are created through the work. There is a relationship between the shapes within a composition, between the colors of paint, but most importantly there is a relationship between the work and the viewer. I hope to strengthen that relationship and encourage dialogue between viewers, thereby building more connections. To get to that point, however, the work must offer the viewer something important. Beginning with an interest in psychology of color I have investigated many different aspects of color. Color as it relates to psychology is often simplified. In visual art, color is exceedingly complex. This discrepancy represents a lacking in common variables in the languages. The studies that most interested me were often dealing with rooms painted a solid color, or colored light in an environment, both of which either proved to agitate or calm the subjects within that environment. In contrast my work looks at simple visual observations pertaining to color. These observations can be linked into art history by many artists, notably Joseph Albers and his text “Interaction of Color”. My work continues to explore the idea of interaction and reaction between colors as a powerful visual phenomenon, as well as a metaphor for the interaction and reaction we experience in life. Understanding Albers’ works as a reference, my work looks at color through both pigment and light as well as focuses considerably on the relationship of complementary colors. Bourdieu suggests that art has become intimidating to anyone who doesn’t study it[1]. I believe my work allows people to be exposed to things they don’t need to understand in a specific way, they just need to look and reflect. As Susan Sontag argues, the act of looking---without the pressure of interpretation---is significant and valuable[2]. It is important to me that my work functions as shared experiences that become meaningful to others. Color, whether through pigment or light is a potent visual stimulant that can encourage momentary and lasting reflection. Focusing on specific relationships such as those between light and pigment, complementary colors as well as positive and negative shapes, creates the opportunity to investigate color concertedly.I engage in a visual investigation of these specific relationships and how they can function in a variation of ways. I am interested in exploring these simple observations through various means including cut paper, video, colored light, painting and any other media that presents an opportunity to investigate these ideas further. In the development of this body of work I understand an importance in the setting and placement of the work. Eventually, I would like to create work which can live outside of the gallery to both broaden the audience, but also to change the relationship it has with the audience. I believe this would allow for experiences that are not influenced by the thought “what does this mean?” but rather, “what am I looking at, and why am I interested?” This sort of interaction between work and viewer would produce a more visceral reaction to the visual phenomenon because it would be placed into the everyday lives of the viewers. [1] Bourdieu, Pierre, Alain Darbel & Dominique Schnapper. The Love of Art: European Art Museums and their Public. Pp. 309[2] Sontag, Susan. Against Interpretation. Pp. 464

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